SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Gigi Stake finished with nine kills against only one error, hitting .258 while adding 11 digs as the Keene State College women's volleyball team swept Mount Holyoke College 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-17) in a non-conference match Thursday night at Howard Gymnasium.

The Owls (11-15) made plays late to take each of the first two sets and then cruised in what proved to be the third and final frame, opening a 7-2 lead that they never relinquished.  Ahead 13-9, KSC ran off four straight on kills by Stake and Kaitlyn Cicerone before an ace by Theresa Norris to take an eight-point lead, and the Lyons never seriously threatened after that.  Cicerone put the Owls up double-digits at 23-13, and another swing by her moments later wrapped up the match with a 25-17 victory.  She finished with five kills and aided a short-handed KSC, who played without Molly Wetherbee.  Marina Miller added seven kills and Stephanie Olah joined Stake with only one error, tallying six kills on .294 hitting.  KSC outhit Mount Holyoke .152 to .104 and had an 8-1 edge in aces.

The first two sets were close, but the Owls pulled away in the opener to take a 20-15 edge with a 6-2 burst and scored three in a row later to go up 23-16.  A MHC service error brought up set point at 24-17, and Stake closed the set with a kill three points later.

The teams split the opening 24 points of a narrow second set, and the Lyons erased a 15-12 deficit to tie it at 16, but a small three-point binge by the Owls that featured a kill by Olah and an ace by Delia Ryan helped them gain separation at 19-16, and swings by Annaliese Rudberg and Miller made it 23-19 to force a timeout by the hosts.  An attacking miscue by the Lyons on the ensuing rally brought up set point for a 2-0 match lead, and Miller ended a 25-20 victory in the frame with a kill.

Small finished with 25 assists and six digs.  Norris had a match-high 18 digs.

A tri-match awaits on Saturday (November 2) for the Owls, with the 12:00 p.m. conference match against Rhode Island College essentially a playoff, with the winner qualifying for the LEC tournament and the loser being eliminated.  KSC will also take on New England College at 4:00 p.m.